End-gate.



PATENTED JULY sofio'v.

E. L. HERNDON.

END GATE.

uruoumn FILED FEB.1B,190'I.

2 sums-sum 1.

PATENTED JULY so, 1907.

E.L.HERNDON. END GATE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 18, 1907 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

anwzuto'c UNITED STATES EMMET L. HERNDON, OF MAYVIEW, MISSOURI;

END-GATE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 30, 1907.

' Application filed February 18, 1907. Serial No. 358,065.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMMET L. HERNDON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mayview, in the county of Lafayette, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in End-Gates; and 1 do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as, will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention has reference to end gates for wagon bodies, and it aims to provide a simple and durable device of that class, which may be effectively retained in either raised or lowered position, with respect to the wagon body, and which may be readily removed therefrom.

With this object in view, the invention consists of the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, all as hereinafter more fully described, specifically claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are designated by corresponding reference numerals in the several views.

Of the said drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective view of the rear portion of a wagon body, with the improved end gate secured thereto, and shown in its lowered position. Fig. 2 is an end view of the wagon body, with the gate raised. Fig. 3 is a. perspective view of the crossbar secured to the bottom of the wagon body. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the end gate detached from the wagon body. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the straps attached to the ends of the cross-bar.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral 7 designates a wagon body of the ordinary type, to the rear edge of the bottom of which there is secured a cross-bar 8, the opposite ends of which project slightly beyond the corresponding sides of the wagon body, as indicated by the reference numeral 9. The inner corners of the cross-bar are cutaway to form the seats 10, and the outer side of the cross-bar is likewise disposed a slight distance beyond the rear edge of the wagon body.

Secured at its lower end to each of the ends 9 of the cross-bar is a metal strap 11, the opposite end of which is secured to the corresponding wagon side, as shown, the straps being diagonally disposed with respect thercto. Each strap is bent laterally intermediate its ends, as indicated by the reference numeral 13, so that while its upper portion 14 lies flush against the adjacent face of the wagon side, its lower portion 15 is disposed in spaced relation thereto. v

The wagon body carries a removable end gate ,16, which, in the main, is of the usual construction, including the vertical wings 17, disposed at opposite sides thereof. The inner corners of the wings are cut away, as indicated by the reference numeral 18, to provide the forwardly projecting shoulders 19, the edges of which,

coresponding edges of the cross-bar seats 10, when the end gate is in its raised position, as hereinafter more fully described.

Secured to the upper face of each wing is a metal rod 20, whose forward end projects some distance therebeyond, and is provided with a hook 21.

The forwardly projecting shoulder portions 19 of the wings and the rods carried by the latter are movable through the space between the lower portion 15 of each strap and the adjacent side of the wagon body when the end gate is moved from one position to another, so as to bring the hooked ends 21 of said rods into and out of engagement with the laterally bent portions of the straps. It will therefore be apparent that when the end gate is in its lowered position, with respect to the wagon body, the hooked ends of said rods will engage such laterally bent portion and thus effectually retain the end gate in such position, the projecting side of the cross-bar serving as a support for the lower end of the end gate.

When the gate is swung from its lowered to its raised position, as shown in Fig. 2, the shoulders formed by the cut away portions of the cross-bar and wings will interlock with each other, the hook ends of the rods being disengaged from the straps during the upward movement of the gate.

To retain the end gate in its last-mentioned position, the upper end of each strap carries a pivotally mounted latch 22, adapted for engagement with an eye-bolt 23, secured to the adjacent gate wing.

It will be understood from the foregoing, that the end gate will be effectually maintained in its lowered position through the engagement of the hooked ends of the rods carried on its wings, with the laterally bent portions of the straps, and it will be further supported by the projecting side of the cross-bar, upon which the lower end of the gate rests when in such position. It will likewise be understood that the cross-bar serves to support the gate in its raised position, owing to the engagemcnt of its shoulders 9 with the shoulders 19 of the wings, and that any accidental displacement of the gate from such position will be prevented by means of the latches and eye-bolts, above described. It will be plain, moreover, that when it is not desired to make use of the end gate, it may be completely removed from the wagon body upon being partly lowered, when the wing shoulders and rods may'be readily withdrawn from between the lower portions 15 of the straps and the adjacent wagon side. 7

Modifications and changes may obviously be made within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed, is

The combination in a wagon body, of a cross-bar secured to the rear edge of the bottom thereof and projecting at opparallel with the body of the end gate, fit against the 3. posite ends beyond the sides thereof, the inner corner of each of said projecting ends being cut away to form a seat a strap secured at its lower end to each end of said crossbar, and at its upper end to the corresponding side of the wagon body, each strap being bent laterally intermediate itsends to dispose its upper portion directly against the corresponding wagon side, and its lower portion in spaced relation thereto; an end gate supported upon said crossbar and including side wings having their inner ends movable through the space between the lower portion of each strap and the adjacent side ofthe wagon, each wing having a shoulder formed on its inner corner for engagement in the adjacent seat in the cross-bar when the end gate is in its raised position with respect to the wagon body; a member secured to the upper face of each wing and provided with a hooked end adapted to engage the laterallybent portion of the corresponding strap, when the end gate is moved into its lowered position with respect to the wagon body to retain the end gate in such position; an eye bolt secured to the outer face of each wing of the end gate and a latch pivoted to the upper end of the corresponding strap and adapted for engagement therewith, to retain the end gate in raised position with respect to the wagon body. In testimony whereof, I atfix iny signature, in presence of two witnesses.

EMMET L. HERNDON.

Witnesses H. C. Si'oNon, MIKE LILLIS. 

